


The Harder the Pain, Honey, The Sweeter the Sun

by StoriesOfImagination



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Creepy Murdoc (MacGyver TV 2016), Drugged Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), F/M, Hurt Riley, Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Riley Davis is a badass, They rescue each other, Torture, Whump, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27650969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesOfImagination/pseuds/StoriesOfImagination
Summary: Mac wakes up in chains, and that's just the beginning of this nightmare. Murdoc wants answers and will turn Mac inside out to get them... including dragging Riley into this hell.
Relationships: Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Riley Davis/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 87





	The Harder the Pain, Honey, The Sweeter the Sun

Mac’s head is killing him. He’s dizzy and groggy and everything hurts. He tries to feel his scalp with his fingers but can’t make them move right.

There’s a clink of metal on metal and sharp pain from his wrists.

_ Wait— tied up? No. Chained up. _

His brain starts filtering information from his muscles, taut in uncomfortable ways; his skin, chafed and sore; and his head throbbing with— what? 

Inhaling deeply through his nose, Mac can smell chemical remnants, taste the bitterness on the back of his tongue. 

_ I was gassed. _

_ The car. _

He was leaving for work at the Phoenix. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he put on his seatbelt and reached to turn the ignition key.

The gas was already filling the car before he turned it. 

_ Must have been fastening the seatbelt that triggered it. _

And now… 

Mac blinks and squints but can’t see anything. Turning his head side to side he feels a cloth bag over his head.

Moving his hands and arms is… impossible as it turns out. His shoulders ache, his wrists hurt, and his fingers are going a little numb.

So his hands are chained well above his head… and… yeah, far enough apart from each other to be useless.

Mac tests his feet next. 

Still in his boots, but there’s that clinking again. So his feet are chained over his boots. Not much range of motion. They feel… slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

Yeah, can’t move them much at all. 

Someone has him on a very short leash.

Listening intently, Mac is frustrated to find he can’t hear anything except his own head moving against the cloth, his own breath a little too fast, and his own heart racing.

He tries to calm his nervous system, but it’s almost impossible. Without sensory information or factual data, his mind is spiraling into panic.

_ Remember your training. You know how to do this. One breath at a time. _

A soft scrape of shoe leather against dirt makes him freeze. Mac holds his breath, straining to find another sound, another clue.

A needle punctures his neck and he releases his breath with a surprised gasp. There is an icy-hot pain spreading quickly through his veins.

His head feels strange, like it’s filled with helium and just barely connected to his body.

The bag is pulled from his head.

He blinks against the darkness and then a switch is flipped and he’s slamming his eyes shut against a bright light.

Blinking tears away from his watering eyes, he fights to focus. But the light is above him and has painted a bright circle over him, and only over him. It’s almost impossible to see past the light into the rest of the room.

“Hello MacGyver,” drawls a voice in the dark. 

Mac stills the way a deer freezes when it catches the scent of a wolf.

The voice moves around him, just beyond the light, past where he can see. “I’m so pleased you could join me today. You’ll be happy to know that I learned a lot from the last time we danced this particular dance.”

The voice is suddenly, terrifyingly behind him and right at his left ear. “You make me want to be a better… hmmm… not  _ person _ certainly—“

Murdoc is right in front of him now.

“—but killer, yes! Professional? Absolutely. I’m always delighted to up my game for you.”

“Murdoc—“ Mac’s tongue feels too big for his mouth. He tries to swallow but his throat is parched. “What the hell do you want?” He rasps.

“I require information. Where is my son, Cassian? Your people squirreled him away and that. Just. Won’t. Do.” Murdoc’s tone is clipped and harsh. His eyes are black in the shadows of his brows as he looms in front of Mac.

Mac shakes his head, both to clear out the fuzziness and in response. “I don’t… I have no clue where he is.”

The heel of Murdoc’s palm instantly makes contact with Mac’s nose and pain explodes like a flash grenade. The sharp edge of pain cuts through the fog of the drugs, but his eyes swim.

When the hand flashes out again toward him, Mac flinches away but is helpless to protect himself. This time, Murdoc grips his jaw painfully and brings his face close to Mac’s.

“Don’t  _ lie  _ to me Angus. It’s insulting.” 

The proximity is disturbing. Murdoc’s eyes study him with a detached rage. Mac can’t remember the last time he felt this vulnerable and afraid-- he can’t remember much of anything right now. A creeping terror is twisting its way through his gut. Between that and the stuff Murdoc injected him with, Mac can’t think straight.

“Where is Cassian?” Murdoc says. It’s almost a whisper, but there’s nothing soft about it.

Mac swallows, tasting blood. “I don’t know,” he says, meeting Murdoc’s stare.

Murdoc narrows his eyes and moves Mac’s face this way and that. Releasing his chin with a sound of disgust, he steps back into the darkness.

This time when the needle breaks his skin, Mac feels as though a hot snake is slithering its way through his veins.

That image makes him slightly nauseous. Or maybe it's the drugs? It feels like four drinks past drunk.

_ Waaaaay on the bad side of drunk. Don’t like it. _

“MacGyyyyver--” A singsong voice drifts through the room. “Where is Cassian? Where has Matilda hidden him?” 

A dark shape comes into focus and Murdoc is standing in front of him again.

Mac shakes his head - it feels too big, too heavy. “Haven’t seen… don’t know where he’s gone”

Murdoc tuts his tongue impatiently. “Come along, Angus, you can do better than that.”

In the span of one slow blink, a knife is now at his throat.

“Tell me,” Murdoc spits between clenched teeth, “tell me where my son is—“

Murdoc’s face goes suddenly blank, his eyes shockingly cold.

“Or don’t.” Tilting his head, Murdoc twirls the knife in his fingers and then steps backwards into the darkness.

Mac strains to see anything beyond the light. Strains to hear any sound, to prepare for an attack.

_ Prepare _ . He thinks bitterly. He can’t do a damn thing trussed up like this.

And thinking is… difficult. He doesn’t feel right. What did Murdoc inject him with?

There’s a shuffling noise coming from about 15 feet away. 

Listening to the way the sound moves in the room leaves Mac with more questions than answers. It’s big, he  _ thinks _ , but the sound isn’t echoing the way he would expect it to. Maybe it’s soundproofed? And there’s something odd about the dirt floor but he can’t quite make his thoughts snap into focus.

Something is dropped on the floor. Then comes a clinking sound followed by the crank of chains being ratcheted into place. There’s a final clank as whatever it is gets locked into position.

A switch flips. Another bright pool of light appears.

_ Riley. Oh god no. _

She’s unconscious. Her hands tied together with rope and looped over a hook at the end of a long chain which reaches up higher than Mac can see.

Her feet barely touch the floor.

She looks too pale. Except for some drying blood along her hairline down one side of her face.

“What the fuck did you do to her?” The words tumble out of him. He hadn’t meant to speak, to encourage Murdoc in… in whatever this is. But he’s so angry right now. So scared for Riley, they just stumbled their way into the air.

“Not much. Yet.” Muses Murdoc. “She was surprisingly difficult to catch.” He looks almost pleased. “You would have been so  _ proud _ of her. But no matter. Naptime’s over.”

And with that he slams a hypodermic needle into her chest. The reaction is instantaneous and horrifying. Riley’s whole body arches in shock and pain. She gasps a too-big breath in and immediately chokes on it.

_ Adrenaline. Fucking bastard. _

“Now now MacGyver, no need for that—“

Mac ignores Murdoc and tries to force his voice into something soft and comforting. “Riley… Riles, just breathe okay? Just breathe. I’m right here. Riles, breathe for me—“ It comes out more like begging.

Riley drags in shaky breaths, her face showing shock and fear while her feet try to find purchase on the loose dirt.

“Mac?” There's something in her eyes that looks a lot like hope. Her eyes travel over his chains and the dark expanse of the room. When they move back to him there’s more worry there.

“Mac, are you okay?”

Before he can reassure her, Murdoc speaks again.

“Oh we were just having a friendly chat - isn’t that right, Angus?” Murdoc gestures back to Mac as though expecting some kind of answer, but then keeps right on talking.

“And I thought, ‘Why not invite his friend Riley? He’s always so much  _ happier _ when she’s around.’ So you see my dear, you’re here to help us keep things friendly.” Murdoc has hold of Riley’s chin, as though admiring an object. She pulls her face away in disgust and Mac clamps his teeth together.

Murdoc turns abruptly back to him and stands close enough to wave the knife in a slow looping pattern inches from his face. It’s going in and out of focus and there’s a low buzzing in his ears.

“Where’s Cassian?” Murdoc’s voice seems to echo from far away even though Mac is fairly sure he’s right in front of him.

“Mac!” Murdoc snaps his fingers twice in front of his face trying to make him focus. “Where is he? What’s the name of the foster family?”

“I don’t know,” Mac slurs. “I don’t…”

A fist punches him hard in the gut. His breath whooshes out of him. It’s hard to fill his lungs again spread-eagled like this. 

Before he can get a full breath another blow lands somewhere near his kidneys followed by one to his face.

_ Pain _ .

_ Breathe _ .

Riley and Murdoc are arguing about something, but everything  _ hurts _ and Riley is so good at arguing—

Water is splashed into his face. It’s cold and helps him focus on breathing again. Murdoc pours some into his mouth. He gulps it down between breaths.

“Alright Boy Wonder, let’s try this again.” 

Mac tenses, waiting for the next blow, but Murdoc walks away. He has disappeared into the black space between him and Riley.

“Where is Cassian?”

“I don’t know!” Mac is pleased his voice feels stronger this time.

Murdoc reappears next to Riley and immediately backhands her across the face.

“No!!” Mac strains against his chains.

Riley’s nose and mouth are bloodied and she looks  _ pissed _ .

“The  _ address _ . The  _ town _ . The  _ family _ . Where is he?” Murdoc’s expression is one of cold, dispassionate anger. When he turns it on Riley it’s frankly terrifying.

Mac’s mind is racing, filled with fragmented thoughts and phrases.

_ Emotions will kill you faster than the bomb… NOT RILEY… got to get out got to get out… too tight… the dirt though, the dirt… bleeding… where’s her jacket… cold… _

“Mac! Hey Mac, look at me!” Riley’s voice sounds loud all of a sudden.

Mac blinks slowly, trying to focus on her properly. Murdoc is standing next to her looking way too pleased with himself.

_ I hate him. Gonna kill him this time. _

Murdoc tuts his tongue in disapproval and continues twirling his knife.

Mac!” Riley tries again.

Mac looks at her and she snaps into focus in his mind.

_ She’s so beautiful… love holding her… soft skin and smells so good… love her so much… have to get her out _

“Hmmm it is soft skin, isn’t it?” Murdoc steps back into view and grasps one of her arms. She’s just wearing a tank top with her jeans. “Why don’t we work on a little momento, hmmm?”

Mac sees tears falling silently down her cheeks and feels lost. 

“Riley,” he says roughly. “I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.”

_ I love you IloveyouIloveyou _

Mac sees the glint of Murdoc’s knife. Sees him hold Riley’s arm just above the elbow. Sees him start to carve into her arm with the tip of the blade—

Riley’s bottom lip wobbles and she bites it to keep from crying out. Then everything is blurry again and it takes a moment for Mac to realize he’s crying too.

He’s pulling so hard on his chains that slow trickles of blood stain his shirt sleeves from wrist to elbow.

“You can make it stop any time, Angus,” Murdoc’s voice is unhurried. “Just tell me where my son is.”

“I DON’T KNOW!” screams Mac. Half a sob escapes his chest as he admits, “I wish I did.”

“Hmmmm,” Murdoc steps back and admires his work.

He has carved an “M” on Riley’s arm near her shoulder. Mac feels sick.

“M for MacGyver or Murdoc?” He flourishes his knife at Riley, “You decide.”

A phone starts to ring. Murdoc pulls it out of his pocket and glances at the screen.

“I’ll leave you kids to talk it out for a minute and then we’ll continue shortly.”

He strides off into the darkness past Riley. Mac can hear his footsteps traveling far away - the room is a lot bigger than he’d guessed. A distant thud could be a door closing.

It’s silent now except for their ragged breathing.

“Riles—“

He doesn’t know what to say to her.

_ Think think, you’ve got to think of something. What can you use? Got to DO something.  _

“Mac. Stop.” Riley looks steady and sure. “I’ve got this. You’re hurting yourself.”

Mac glances up and sees that she’s right.

_ Doesn’t matter, ignore it. She’s worth it. _

“Stop it!” Riley looks angry now. “If you really want to help, stop talking. It’s going to bring Murdoc back in here and I need time.”

_ She’s doing something with her hands… what is that? _

“Mac!” Riley closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. “Mac, I need to know Pi to the 1000th place - as quietly as you can think it.”

_ Okay?  _

He trusts her. He starts counting quietly and steadily in his head.

Meanwhile Riley has freed her hands and is crouched on the ground. She does something to the heel of her boot and now she’s standing in front of him holding lock picks.

“Keep counting, you’re doing great,” she says quietly, moving to one of his wrists.

Seconds later the pressure around it disappears and she carefully brings it down towards his waist. 

She moves to his other side and soon he has both his hands in front of him. 

“Rub them together. Try and get your circulation going while I work on your feet.”

He does as she asks, still counting quietly in his head.

Riley frees his feet and stands up. Mac steps forward and wraps his arms around her. He’s reassuring himself that she’s okay - or going to be, but he wants to comfort her too.

After a moment, Riley steps back, sizes him up, and takes a sharp blade to the bottom of his plaid shirt. She cuts off a couple of two-inch strips all the way around. 

She uses one to wipe the blood from her face, then wraps it around the wound on her arm.

Taking a ragged corner of his shirt, she uses it to dab his bloodied nose. “Your nose isn’t broken. Can you breathe through it?”

When he nods, she takes the second strip of cloth and ties it around his mouth, gagging him.

“Sorry Mac,” she murmurs. “We’ll take this off as soon as we’re clear.”

Mac’s a little confused, but he trusts Riley completely. He nods and follows her lead.

She steps carefully out of the light, her hands raised in front of her to feel her way. A moment later, the light turns off.

Mac blinks rapidly, trying to adjust to the darkness. He feels Riley’s hand grasp his and she leads him around the other pool of light. Soon that one is gone too.

His eyes begin to make out shapes. They can see the door that Murdoc used. There’s another door on the other side of the structure, so they head for that one.

When they reach it, there is a simple bolt and padlock keeping it closed. Riley makes short work of the lock and they quietly slip through the door.

They were in some kind of barn. There’s thick forest on this side of it. Riley indicates he should stay put. She creeps to the corner and peeks around, then quickly heads back to him, pointing to the tree line.

They move as quickly and quietly as they can through the dense undergrowth, trying to put distance between them and the barn - between them and Murdoc.

As much as Mac wants to beat the living daylights out of Murdoc, he knows Riley is right - Murdoc usually has a couple of guns on him and they absolutely don’t. 

He’ll wait.


End file.
